4.5 stars - I really liked this. It was just a bit different, with magic, time travel and several very likable characters. Thanks to my hubby for the4.5 stars - I really liked this. It was just a bit different, with magic, time travel and several very likable characters. Thanks to my hubby for the rec....more

Wow! This was good, intense and did a great job of setting up the parameters of a world where time travel is possible - if limited to a few minutes. IWow! This was good, intense and did a great job of setting up the parameters of a world where time travel is possible - if limited to a few minutes. It also did a good job of connecting me to characters Silas -who is in the lead in this story, but who sounds like a side character in the upcoming series - and to Peri - who will be in the lead. Both characters are brilliant in different ways - he's a wiz at the theory and tech - and she's an out of the box thinker.

So this short did its job well and has me totally excited for Drafter, book one of the Peri Reed Chronicles due out September 1st. ...more

I liked A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird Book 1) Sci fi-ish YA, at the heart of the story was an invention that allowed a person to jump into thereI liked A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird Book 1) Sci fi-ish YA, at the heart of the story was an invention that allowed a person to jump into there counterpart in another dimension - sometimes very similar, some times not. Leading lady Margarite's parents are on the verge of making their invention work when one of their graduate assistants sabotages her father's car, steals the prototype and escapes into another dimension. Margarite and another assistant head off after him determined to extract revenge for her father's death, but of course there's more going on than Margarite realizes...

I really liked Margarite and the guys -there was sort of a love triangle ( well maybe a few more side than that...) but not too annoying. It was a bit odd that one of the jumps goes to a present that mirrors imperial Russia - but hey it provides inspiration for the cool cover. I liked that the characters do acknowledge the ethical implications of possessing their alternates - because they do leave some fallout in their wake.

I'm not much of a NA reader - the heroine is eighteen (they guys probably a bit older) but she wasn't super immature -except for the impulsiveness that gets the whole thing rolling at the start. I enjoyed this series starter, it felt original and I will twist my daughter's arm to get her to read it (she loathes love triangles) and I will keep an eye out for more. ...more

It's been a while since the last Elemental world book - not that I am complaining since I also like Hunter's Cambio Springs and Irin chronicles - butIt's been a while since the last Elemental world book - not that I am complaining since I also like Hunter's Cambio Springs and Irin chronicles - but with the gap it took me a bit to come back up to speed on the Dublin cast. Once I did, I was happy to see Patrick reconnecting with his estranged mate Annie, who at first seem like an opposites attract combination of Brawn and Brains with the former boxer Patrick and vampire psychologist Annie.

I really liked the passionate and protective Patrick and I did like Annie too - I like her relationships with the rest of the cast a great deal. Since this is a reconciliation story the romance is low-key - but not without steam. But Patrick is more than the charming rogue that he seems and he is the one to put the pieces together in the continuing mystery of the deadly vampire Elixer. I liked how his mind worked to figure out who has been behind the conspiracy.

Rounding out the story is the cast from the previous books, Bridget and Carwyn have parts to play - no Ben and Tensin though - and there is a lovely little cameo for Baojia and Natalie.

So another nice little mystery that looks to have the Elixer storyline on the verge on wrapping up. Can't wait for the next episode.

2 stars-okay. The ghost of a murdered French nobleman has only a few days before the anniversary of his death to get Ella to come back to 1703 and hel2 stars-okay. The ghost of a murdered French nobleman has only a few days before the anniversary of his death to get Ella to come back to 1703 and help him to rewrite his ending...

This story has the Cinderella framework in both the present, where Ella is finally free from her step mother and step sisters and inheriting a run down estate in France (complete with ghost), and in the past to which she is drawn back by some cursed magical objects - and there is a ball in the past.

I do generally like fairy tale retellings, ghost romances, and time travel romances , but Cinderella and the Ghost was a near miss for me. Mostly because the hero didn't work for me for several reasons, the first being that the I couldn't get past the image of the bewigged hero in the clothing of his era and imagine him as being attractive -especially when we are privy to the prelude to an intimate scene which had him removing his wig and which had me remembering the reason why wigs were worn and which had me picturing grimey hat 'hair'. I also had issues with differences in station when Ella gets drawn back in time, she's a serving girl working in his household and he's a rakish nobleman, so even though he's drawn to her in a life-changing way, I found his 'flirting´ with her creepy considering her powerlessness in that time period. And my final issue with the whole thing is the ending - it has my least favorite of time travel resolutions (which I can't elaborate on as it is a spoiler). And I am not even going to mention the cursed Egyptian artifacts that play a part in the story.

What I did like was that Ella was given a decent reason for sticking with her step mother in the present day situation - in olden times as a woman she'd have been trapped but in the present that wouldn't have been the case. And, on a personal note, I got a kick that present day Ella starts out in my Santa Barbara home town -and that when her step sisters head off to get drunk they head off to a well known bar in town.

So bottom line on this one is there were interesting things in the mix, but I would have preferred if this had been a straight ghost romance because there were a few too many elements involved in the time travel that didn't quite mesh for me leaving Cinderella and the Ghost more in the okay category.

ETA - The more I think about this the more issues I have with the time travel part of this story - I can handle paradox if the rest hooks together, but there at just too many things that don't tie together well here...

The Isis Knot, involves two people both carrying the spirits of an ancient Egyptian couple: William, whos3 to 2.5 stars- mixed on the okay plus side.

The Isis Knot, involves two people both carrying the spirits of an ancient Egyptian couple: William, whose spirit has compelled him down a path that resulted in him losing everything and becoming a convict in Australia in order to lead him to Sera, who has landed there from the future but without any of her memories. And the heart of the story centers around a gold Egyptian bracelet that Sera is wearing and that others are obsessed with.

I had mixed feelings about The Isis Knot. Martine does a good job of giving the reader a feel for what it was like for a convict in New South Wales when it was a penal colony in the 1800's, which is sort of interesting from a history standpoint, but it is a grim setting for a romance - and trust me you wouldn't want to be a woman convict, or a weak male one either.

I found many parts of this interesting and I liked Will and Sera, he's basically fairly noble for some one whose life has been taken out of his control, and I like Sera because she is striving to be a good person an trying to overcome an upbringing that left her with an interesting skill set but a flawed moral compass. I also liked the Egyptian couple and I am drawn to mythological tie ins. I guess where I had a problem was with how everything was threaded together - it takes a fair bit into the story for things to get going and the story is sort of fragmented in some ways by a flashback to the last days of the spirits that Will and Sera carry, though the flashback is important because it explains most of the whys of the situation which involves a power struggle between Egyptian gods. Actually that and several other the switches -to Will's past and the antagonist's and to the future - give this complicated story an odd flow.

So bottom line is that there were interesting parts in this historical, time travel romance flavored by an Egyptian mythological battle, but I definitely prefer Martine's Elemental series to this one. FYI - since this is a deal breaker for some people - this contains rape and attempted rape of two of the side characters.

ARC via NetGalley release date 9/15 - but I also had preordered my own copy...more

3.5 stars overall - Though most of the stories are on the lite side and could have benefited from just a few more pages to give them a bit more heft,3.5 stars overall - Though most of the stories are on the lite side and could have benefited from just a few more pages to give them a bit more heft, there is a nice variety to this collection with a time travel romance, a super hero origin story in addition to the advertised paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

Reap & Redeem Lisa Medley - Supporting character Kylen had a promising setup up here - especially since that fact that he is going to lose another woman that he loves is a heartstring 'tugger' - but this story was pretty ambitious for the space. There is a lot going on in the background for the larger series arc and the transition in the romance - which is the key to making a short story romance work for me - is just too abrupt to 'sell' me. I am really interested in the next up leading man but I wish that the setup for the conflict for the next leading lady had been different. Overall this ended up be more on the okay side

The Masked Songbird Emmie Mears - I enjoyed this super hero story which only had the promise of romance - super heroes are a nice change of pace - this story was more on the rambling side though that didn't really bother me. Pretty good.

Protective Ink - Misty Simon - I liked this follow on to Wicked Ink - I liked leading lady magical tattoo artist Lissa a lot and seeing more of Jackson - who was the handler of the super hero leading man in the previous story. I liked that Jackson got his own super power and the fact that Lissa and Jackson are long time friends who have always have had secret feelings for each other makes the romance work in the small space. This was my favorite of the stories.

Mine Tomorrow - Jackie Braun - Ultimately this ends up with a Somewhere in Time vibe - but with a better HEA - I liked it even though it was short. I like the time period and that the leade met at a recognizable 'major' historical event is pretty neat....more

2.5 stars - pretty good. Two women separated in time, one a current day high powered attorney devoted to her career who barely has time for the husban2.5 stars - pretty good. Two women separated in time, one a current day high powered attorney devoted to her career who barely has time for the husband she loves and another a prim and proper wife and mother living in days gone by who is uncomfortable with intimacy. When both women suffer a coma inducing accident in there own time the wake to find themselves in a body and a time not their own - and with a 'husband' who is just can't understand why his 'wife' can't remember him or the most basic things.

Time Tantrums (previous published as Sister in Time) alternates between the two woman, who are sure that aren't crazy remembering a completely different time and missing the husband that they love.It is pretty easy to see purpose behind this cosmic wife swap and the payoff for that is in the epilog. First I have to say both of the husbands are gems with what they put up with, but I did have a nit the thought process that allowed the lusty Taylor (the modern woman tossed in the past) to her "husband's charms" even though I understand the 'why' of it in terms of the story.

Stormy thinks there is something fishy about the strange man buying thermometers, and the fact that she thinks he's a time traveler and decides to staStormy thinks there is something fishy about the strange man buying thermometers, and the fact that she thinks he's a time traveler and decides to start stalking him, is going to land her brother, Bacon - yes, Bacon - in a whole lot of trouble.

I enjoyed The Bewitching Tale of Stormy Gale despite the fact that I was expecting steampunk and got a time travel story instead. I didn't realize coming into the story that this is book 2, which apparently had stronger steampunk elements to go with the timetravel, but even though I was new to Bell's series, I didn't have an issue coming up to speed with the characters and the world-building – although I do suspect that might have enjoyed the story more if I'd already been invested in the Stormy and crew.

Still, I liked the story and the way that Stormy and her hubby manage to pull Bacon's bacon out the fire was especially fun and now, all of the references to events in the first book has made me curious, so I may just need to hunt down a copy of book one, The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale.

Armor of Roses, which forms the bulk of the material here was reviously published in the Inked anthology. I always forget how much I love Lui's writinArmor of Roses, which forms the bulk of the material here was reviously published in the Inked anthology. I always forget how much I love Lui's writing, she brings such depth and detail to her settings and emotion to her characters and Maxine's 'boys' are always a fun side note.

Armor of Roses" finds Liu's Hunter Kiss heroine Maxine going back in time when she receives a note from the past asking her help. - The novella length Armor of Roses was a nice little carve out from the Hunter Kiss series and gives just a bit of insight into the reason Maxine's demons are so enigmatic when Maxine time travels back to WWII China and meets up with her then eighteen-year old Grandmother. It also has a nice amount of emotion as Maxine, forms an instant connection with a refuge boy who she knows is doomed in the future. I enjoyed this one just as much reading it the second time around.

The Silver Voice - Maxine's husband Grant finds the courage to look for the secrets of his past. - Silver Voice was really short but enough of a taste of Grant's past to make it worthwhile if you are already a fan of the series and missed Armor of Roses when it came out - if not, it's a hard decision because several of the other stories in Inked were really good too, and getting Armor of Roses with those stories is probably a better deal.

One thing that struck me about both stories is that I love the solid relationship that Maxine has with Grant, and Lui has made him pretty easy for the reader to love as well. Whether or not you pass on this ebook, if you are looking for just a smidge more of Grant, on Lui's website she has a letter from Grant to his yet-to-be daughter that is really quite sweet. ...more

A wish for love is the only thing that earns a woman a reprieve when she blunders into a fairy ring and is sent back into the past. She is found by aA wish for love is the only thing that earns a woman a reprieve when she blunders into a fairy ring and is sent back into the past. She is found by a man who has dreamed of her for years, but, even with a head start, three days isn't very much time for her to win his love and he has a curse which is going to make things even tougher for him to take a chance on her at all.

I enjoyed this story but it was quite short (not a show stopper for me though because it was a Kindle freebie), still the characters and the conflict were good enough that I would have liked a bit more, especially since a last minute intervention is needed to win the pair their HEA. ...more

4.5 stars - Having traded an unspecified favor for his friend life, gryphon Rune is called to San Francisco to pay off his debt, and discovers that va4.5 stars - Having traded an unspecified favor for his friend life, gryphon Rune is called to San Francisco to pay off his debt, and discovers that vampire Carling is fading. Finding himself increasingly intrigued by the dying ancient, Rule is determined to help her find a cure. And while the mysteries of time may hold the answer, time is also the enemy, and Rune and Carling must solve the riddle of the Serpent's Kiss before time runs out.

I liked Serpent's Kiss every bit as much, if not more than the first Elder Races book Dragon Bound. The only place where I think Dragon Bound had this one beat is that I liked the straight into fire (from the frying pan:) beginning of the first book the better. Here the first chapter sort of regurgitates the world building and the key events of Storm's Heart. This is probably good for new to the series readers, but not so much for those who have read the previous book.

Really though this was just a small nit, since there was so much that I loved about this book. I was worried by the icy Carling after having met her in the last book but was happy to find that this Carling was incredibly interesting and I absolutely loved the evolution of Carling as she reconnects with her emotions and loved getting to see her background and how Rune was enchanted with all of her aspects. I also love everything that Carling being Python's 'child' and Rune being a creature of the 'between' brought to the story (trying to be non-spoilerish). And I liked the way that their relationship built slowly, and I really like the matings in Harrison's series in that they are a combination of attraction and choice - instead of a fated slam dunk.

But most of all I loved Rune, with his tenderness, ferocity, and sense of humor – he is my favorite kind of hero, probably since there aren't that many of them in PNR. (Singh's Drew from Play of Passion and Nora Robert's Larkin from Dance of the Gods are the only two who are at all similar and come to mind right off the top of my head.)

So I loved Serpent's Kiss, thus far Harrison can do no wrong, and I can hardly wait for the next book Oracle Moon. Djinn Khalil who had a bit part in Storm's Heart is fleshed out a bit here and will be the leading man in Harrison's next book and, since his heroine will be the Oracle Grace, aka the "impudent disrespectful child ... Who doesn’t' know the value of what she has been offered." Khalil has his work cut out for him and I perversely love to see an alpha male have to work for his HEA....more

Kindle is opening my horizons and Out of Time is a great example of the wonderful treasures you can find if you get lucky. Despite the 'paranormal romKindle is opening my horizons and Out of Time is a great example of the wonderful treasures you can find if you get lucky. Despite the 'paranormal romance' subtitle, Out of Time is really more of a time travel romance with a paranormal complication as part of the conflict, than an actual paranormal romance since neither of the leads go bump in the night. But it is a really good time travel romance.

An accidental trip to the past, lands Professor Simon Cross and his graduate Assistant Elizabeth West in New York during the summer of 1929. Being stranded out of time with only each other to rely on, allows the unacknowledged attraction between the pair to come to light and I enjoyed the way their relationship slowly -and steamily - builds into something more. (For those concerned with sensuality level, Simon and Elizabeth's relationship does become physical and the first love scene is descriptive but not as detailed as most main stream paranormal romance and nowhere near the paint-by-numbers descriptions of the more erotic stuff.)

All of the characters in Out of Time are interesting and fully fleshed with interesting back stories - even the supporting characters. But I really loved Simon and Elizabeth. The pair couldn't be more different. From a moneyed background Simon is a man who has held himself back from life and relationships and all of their messy complications and the accidental trip to the past pulls him way out of his comfort zone. Elizabeth's upbringing was almost on the opposite end of the spectrum, but she genuinely likes people and has a talent for relating to others, so she approaches their `ordeal' as an adventure and an opportunity to experience the all that the time has to offer.

Simon of course wants to be careful not to make ripples in time. But since they have to survive until they hopefully will be returned home, Elizabeth wins and they both find jobs and end up immersed in 1920's life - the trials and entertainments of the prohibition era itself add an interesting flavor to their story. But survival is going to be more than just making ends meet until it's time to go home. Simon's prescient nightmares and a more than human monster who has set his sights on Elizabeth add an element of peril to the tale and provide the means to bring about an ending that takes the whole time travel part of the story full circle, which I always enjoy - it just ties things off so neatly.

So I am happy to have stumbled on Out of Time and if it were paper and not pixels it would be going on my keeper pile - I guess I'll have to start a virtual one. But in any case, I certainly will be keeping an eye out for more from author Monique Martin. ...more

Magical tatoos are the thread that ties together four substantial short stories by popular urban fantasy authors Karen Chance, Marjorie Liu, Yasmine GMagical tatoos are the thread that ties together four substantial short stories by popular urban fantasy authors Karen Chance, Marjorie Liu, Yasmine Galenorn and Eileen Wilks. These stories are just the quick 'fix' to tide us fans over while waiting for the next books in our favorite series but with a nice mix of story, suspense and even a bit of steam they are also great introductions to these authors' wonderful urban fantasy worlds.

Chance's "Skin Deep" is the third short starring half werewolf war mage Accalia (Lia) the previous shorts are "Rogue Elements" from Wolfbane and Mistletoe and "Vegas Odds" in Strange Brew anthology - When Lia's full-blooded were mate goes missing while undercover searching for a were-killer, Lia must try get in touch with her wolfblood in order to find him before he becomes the next victim - I actually really enjoy Lia and her mate Cyrus and would love to read a full length novel with them in the lead, but even here Chance manages to work in a fair amount of backstory (and a little bit of steam) with flashbacks to Lia and Cyrus' past together.

"Armor of Roses" finds Liu's Hunter Kiss heroine Maxine, going back in time when she receives a note from the past asking her help. - This was a nice little carve out from the series and it gives just a bit of insight into the reason Maxine's demons are so enigmatic as Maxine timetravels back to WWII China and meets up with her Grandmother.

Galenorn's Silver Etched is a Sisters of the Moon prequel starring Camille before the sisters leave the otherworld. While Camille is on the hunt for a pervert/murderer she meets Trillion - I am not really a fan of this series (I stopped partway through book four) but I actually really liked this story and it was fun to see the start of Camille's relationship with Trillion and see the misfity half human/fae sisters in the Fae world they don't quite fit into.

Wilk's story runs concurrently time-wise to Night Season. When a shifter friend of werewolf Prince Rule is murdered and another shifter is being accused of the crime, Rule's mate and FBI magical crimes unit agent Lily Yu will help to find the truth behind the death - I am a huge fan of Wilk's Lupi, and this is a nice little mystery for Lily to solve and Wilk's introduces some characters who looks like they might have parts to play later on in the series. I think this will work as a stand alone but Wilks' world is so rich that it is hard to bring all of the culture of the Lupi and the relationship between Rule and Lily into the short....more